Apparatus



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. GATES. STEAM AND WATER STEERING APPARATUS.

No. 248,303. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

OE MT W T V BA N a DY U (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. GATES. STEAM AND WATER STEERING APPARATUS. No. 248,303.

' INVENTOR! JOHN" GATES, PG.

' ATTYS.

Patented Oct. 18,1881.

Q Q Q Q G G Q Q G (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

, J. GATES.

STEAM AND WATER STEERING APPARATUS. No. 248,303. Patented Oct. 18,1881.-

\NVENTORP d U H N GATES ATTYEII (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. GATES. STEAM AND WATER STEERING APPARATUS.

No 248,803. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

WITNESSES! INVENTOR: 888mb. UOHN GATES;

4 I BY C K M- ATTYS (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. GATES. STEAM AND WATER STEERING APPARATUS. No. 248,303. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

WITNESSES! INVENTORi LJ 0 H N E S) I B Y U fimdL'F Q.

ATTYS.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GATES, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

S'TEAM AND WATER STEERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,303, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed February 7, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GATES, of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam and Water Steering Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention consists, broadly, in the combination of the tiller-rods and ropes of a steerin g apparatus with a cylinder having a piston provided upon each side with ahollow pistonrod.

It consists, further, in certain details of construction, all of which will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings,Figure 1 represents a plan view of a steamboat having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, a side elevation, partially broken away to shown the interior arrangement; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional elevation of the same; Fig. 4, a side elevation, and Fig. 5 a longitudinal sectional elevation, of the cylinder having the piston with a hollow piston-rod upon each side of the same. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 represent enlarged views of the piston and the ends of the cylinders; Fig. 9, enlarged views of the couplings;.Fig.10, enlarged view of the stop-ring Figs. 11 and 12, views of the rods and universal joints; Fig. 13, a plan view of the valve-plate; Figs. 14 and 15, views of the valve-mechanism; and Figs. 16, 17, and 18, views of a modified form of water-valve.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improved hydraulic steering apparatus, I will proceed to describe fully the construction of the same and its manner of operation.

A, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, represents a vessel to which my improved hydraulic steering apparatus has been applied.

a, Figs. 2 and 3, represents the steering-wheel; and a,theline of connection by means of which the quadrant M, Fig. 1, of the rudder is actuated when steering by hand.

B B, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, representthe cylinders, located upon each side of the boat in the line of connection. a and b b, Fig. 4, tiller-rods,

(No model.)

The tiller-rods b 1), before referred to, are

screwed into the coupling 1), hereinafter referred to, located upon one side of the piston, as shown. b b are hollow piston-rods, screwed into the piston, as shown, the latter of which is made larger in diameter than the former, for purposes hereinafter explained.

b Fig. 10, represents a stop-rin g, constructed in two parts, which is screwed into the end of the hollow piston-rod for the purpose of furnishing a stop to limit the movement of the tiller-rod by the contact with the same of the enlarged coupling b, as shown.

5 11 Fig. 9, represent rollers, located in the coupling at right angles to each other, by means of which the movement of the tiller-rod in the hollow piston-rod is rendered more easy when steering byhand.

G, Figs. 2 and 3, represents the boiler, located at any proper point in the vessel; and 0, Figs. 2 and 15, a supply-pipe leading from the steam-dome to the steam-valve chest D.

d d represent the usual inlet-ports, one of which is connected by a proper pipe, d, to the steam end of the cylinder upon one side of the boat, and the other by means of a proper pipe, 61, to the steam end of the cylinder upon the other side of the boat. d Figs. 14 and 15, represents the usual exhaust-port, which may discharge in to the atmosphere or into a condenser or heater, as may be desired. These ports are constructed like those of the ordinary D-valve, with the exception that the same are made long and narrow for the purpose of obtaining a more gradual action of the steam.

d, Fig. 15, represents the valve, and d the valve-yoke, provided with the stem (1 which extends away through a proper stuffing-box to a central rack-bar, F, as shown.

E, Figs. 2 and 15, represents a water-supply pipe, leading from the boiler 0, below the water-line of the same, to the water-valve chest e.

e 6 represent ports, one of which is connected by means of a proper pipe, 0 Fig. 1, to

the water end of t 1e cylinder upon one side, and flow into the water-valve chest, the check-valve the other by means of a proper pipe, to the Water end of the cylinder upon the other side, of the boat.

e represents the valve-stem, which extends away through a proper stuffing-box to the central rack-bar, F, before referred to.

0 represents the valve, which is secured to the stem by means of the shoulder 0" and nut e, and is provided upon each side with a bearingface adapted to cover either one of the ports 0, as shown. The opening through this valve, it will be observed, exceeds in diameter the stem which supports it, and consequently it is capable of a lateral movement thereon, for purposes hereinafter referred to.

F, Fig. .15, represents the central rack-bar, before referred to, to which the ends of the steam and water valve stems are secured.

f represents a pinion, engaging with the teeth of therack-bar, which is united by proper connectingrods and couplings to the steeringlever in the pilot-house.

f represents an extension of the chest-plates, and f afriction-rollersupported thereby, which rests upon the rack and properly guides the same in its movement.

G,Figs.1 and 2, represents a valve, located in the pipe which supplies waterfrom the boiler to the water-valve chest, which is united by proper connections to a wheel in the pilot'house, so that it may be operated therefrom when desired. This valve is so constructed that when the same is shut an exhaust-opening is exposed, and through this exhaust-opening the water from the cylinder is permitted to discharge overboard through a proper pipe, g. This valve, which serves as a throttle, is shut when it is desired to steer by hand. As the water leaves the cylinders the pistons move back to the rear ends of the same and there remain, the tiller-rods then rendering freely through them as the wheel is moved by hand.

H, Figs. 2 and 3, represents a check-valve, located in the water-supply pipe between the boiler feed-pipe and water-valve chest, which prevents water from flowing back from the valve-chest into the feed-pipe h, a pipe leading from the water-valve chest up to some elevated point in the boiler-connections, which is provided with a proper check-valve to prevent the delivery of steam into the water-valve chest, while at the same time water is permitted to pass through it to the boiler in case of overpressure.

The operation of my improved hydraulic steering apparatus is substantially as follows: \Vhen it is desired to use power in steering, the pilot in the wheel-house opens, by means of the intermediate connections, the throttlevalveiu the supply-pipe leading from the boiler to the water-valve chest, the opening of this valve closing the exhaust-opening which permitted the water to flow from the cylinders overboard. By the opening of the valve, water fromthe feed-pipe and boiler is permitted to in the pipe permitting movement in this direction, but not in an opposite one. From the water-valve chest the water flows into the cylinders, when the water-valve is opened and fills the after or water end of, the cylinders, driving the pistons before it forward to the couplings of the tiller-rods. If the steeringlever now be used by the pilot, steam from the steam-valve chest will be admitted into the forward steam end of one of the cylinders and be exhausted from the other. In consequence of this action, the piston in one of the cyliuders will move backward under the direct pressure of the steam, while the other will move forward as the steam exhausts from before it. By this movement of the pistons the water in one cylinder is driventhrough the water-valve chests into the other. The action of the steam and water valves is simultaneous, the two being connected by means of the intermediate rack-bar, so that as the steam is admitted into the steam end of the cylinder the water is permitted to flow out of the water end.

The water, it will be understood, does not leave the cylinder, but is simply driven from one to the other, according to the circumstances of the case.

When the pilot desires to arrest the movement of the rudder he moves the steering-lever amidship, and consequently, the valves being caused to cover their ports, the flow of water and steam from one cylinder to the other is prevented, and hence no movement can occur.

The steam end of the piston being provided with a larger piston-rod than the water end, it results that a diminished area is exposed to the action of the steam. In consequence of this the normal pressure upon the water end of the pistons exceeds the pressure upon the steam end, and consequently the tiller-connections leading to the rudder are always kept taut, the latter having no movement, excepting when directly acted upon.

In case of overpressure resulting from any cause, such as would result from the contact of the rudder with an immovable obstacle or a heavy sea, relief will be afforded without breakage of any part by the discharge of the water through the relief-pipe into the steam-boiler space, the check-valve permitting the escape of water, but preventing the return of steam. The outflow of the water from either cylinder is permitted in such case by the movement of the loosely-held valve. This pipe also serves as an air-chamber to prevent injury from sudden shock orjar. By means of this pipe also air from the water-cylinder is discharged, so that the latter always contains solid water. The water-supply in the cylinders remains unchanged when power is used, but any loss from leakage will be automatically supplied through the supply-pipe from the boiler.

When it is desired to steer by hand the throttle-valve is shut. The supply of water thus being cut off and the exhaust-opening being closed, the water flows from the cylinders overboard, and the piston, moving back to the rear ends of the cylinders, permits the tiller-rods to render freely through them. The water-valve, being free to move in a lateral direction upon the stem, moves to either side to permit the escape of air. The water in one end of the cylinder being heated by the steam in the other end, little condensation results from its use it the cylinder is properly covered.

By means of the steam-chest below the cylinders any waters of condensation that may result will be carried away with the exhaust.

A modification of the water-valve shown in Fig. 15 is shown in Figs. 16, 17, and 18. The valve is made in two parts, 0' e, and theseparts, under ordinary circumstances, are held to their seats by springs e" 6 In case of overpressure, as before described, the springs yield sufficiently to permit the passage of the fluid to the relief-pipe.

Some of the advantages of the described construction are as follows: By means of the construction described it is possible to use the same water constantly when steering by power, and hence that which is suitable may be employed for that purpose, instead of that which, being muddy or gritty, tends to cut the valve and seats and the cylinders and paeking'rings. By using the same water, also, the action of the feed-pump is not interfered with. By the employment of the relief-pipe no strain can be brought to bear upon the rudder-connections much greater than the pressure upon the pistons from the feed-pump. Gas or air may be used, if desired, instead of steam.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, broadly, of the tiller rods and ropes of a steering apparatus with a piston provided upon each end with a hollow piston-rod.

2. In a cylinder having connections at one end leading to a steam-supply and the other end to a water-supply, apiston having on each end a hollow piston-rod, the one on the steam end being greater in area than the one on the water end, as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with the hollow pistonrod, the tiller-rod, having the eouplin gprovided with rollers, as and for the purpose described.

4. The hollow piston-rod, provided with coupling b and the stop-ring b made in two parts, as and for the purpose described.

5. The piston 12, having theinternal space, b filled with asbestns, as described.

6. In combination with the steam and water valves, an intermediate rack-bar and pinion, as described.

7. The water-valve adapted, substantially as described, to move laterally upon its stem, as and for the purpose described.

8. In combination with the cylinders B B, the water-supply pipe from the boiler, provided with a throttle and check-valve, as described.

9. In combination with the water-chest, the relief-pipe leading into the boiler steam-space and having a check-valve, as described.

10.- A water-valve, substantially as described, made in two parts and provided with a spring, as and for the purpose described.

This specification signed and witnessed tlns 15th day of January, 1881.

JOHN GATES.

Witnesses:

E. W. CORNELL, L. M. PARRISH. 

